Amazon Workers At Risk: Why Some Warehouse Employees Fear Working During The Coronavirus Pandemic

As Amazon (AMZN) continues providing essential orders to consumers amid the coronavirus outbreak, the e-commerce retailer also has come under fire by its employees that say it is not doing enough to keep workers safe.

With at least 10 Amazon warehouses found to have employees that tested positive for COVID-19, the company continues to remain open, filling orders in mass quantity to customers that need medical and other essential supplies.

Amazon has closed a facility in Kentucky after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus and also temporarily closed another in Queens, New York, for the same reason, but some employees reportedly say this is not enough as fears about COVID-19 contagion grow, CNBC reported.

At any given time, there are 300 more workers inside Amazon’s fulfillment centers that are scattered across the U.S. While these facilities are reportedly the size of 26 football field and workers are encouraged to practice cleaning procedures, such as hand washing, many employees are working in close proximity to others.

Amazon has said that any employee that is not comfortable working can stay at home without pay, and those that do get COVID-19 will receive two-weeks pay while they quarantine. The company has also added a $2 an hour increases to workers’ pay through April, but many warehouse workers don’t think it is enough.

Despite the efforts that Amazon has taken to protect its employees, such as staggered seating in lunchrooms, many workers say sanitation supplies are scarce and nowhere to be found while facilities remain crowded and run at full capacity, some employees told the news outlet.

“It’s made me so furious to see all of these managers say we’re doing the best we can, but you look at anything from the outside world and so many people are working from home,” William Stolz, a picker at a warehouse in Shakopee, Minnesota told the news outlet.

“I have a lot of co-workers with older parents they’re taking care of or co-workers who live in multigenerational households with young children. It’s just so maddening to see that they really don’t care about us,” he added.

Petitions have reportedly been started, calling for Amazon to do more to protect its workers from the coronavirus while a GoFundMe campaign has been set up by the Amazonians United NYC employee group to raise money for employees that are staying home because of COVID-19.

Shares of Amazon stock were down 2.06% as of 9:56 a.m. EDT on Friday.